Apparatus for sterilizing and cleaning feathers



May 8, 1951 H. E. WHEELER 2,552,243

APPARATUS FOR STERILIZING AND CLEANING FEATHERS Filed April 12, 1948 2 Sheets-$heet 1 INVEN TOR.

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May 8, 1951 H. E. WHEELER 2,552,243

APPARATUS FOR STERILIZING AND CLEANING FEATHERS Filed April 12. 1948 INVEN TOR.

Patented May 8, 1951 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR STERILIZING AND CLEANING FEATHERS 4 Claims.

This invention relates to an apparatus for sterilizing and cleaning feathers and it is one object of the invention to provide an apparatus by use of which feathers may be thoroughly 'steri" lized by steam and then dried and delivered to a container where they will be freed of dust and other dirt and may be stored for future use or immediately discharged therefrom into bags, pillow cases or the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of this character wherein the feathers to be cleaned are deposited in a vertically disposed cylindrical casing or receptacle where they are first subjected to action of steam and then to an upwardly moving heated air for drying them, a damper in a pipe leading from the top of the casing then being opened so that the air may carry the dried feathers to a container having an outlet neck at its bottom so that a bag or pillow case may be secured about the neck and the cleaned and dried feathers discharged into the bags or pillow cases without being touched by a person having charge of the apparatus.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for cleaning feathers having a cylindrical easing into which the feathers are deposited, a perforated pipe being located near the bottom thereof so that steam may be discharged upwardly through the feathers to kill germs, there being also a heating coil and a fan under the same at the bottom of the casing by means of which heated air is driven upwardly through the casing to dry the feathers and carry them through a conduit to a second casing or receptacle Where dust and fine dirt remaining in the mass of feathers is discharged through screened outlets before the feathers are allowed to pass out through a discharge neck at the bottom of the receptacle and into a bag or pillow case.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus consisting of elements so arranged that feathers may be sterilized, dried, freed of dust and other dirt, and discharged into abag or pillow case in a series of operations and with' out being exposed to contact with the hands of an operator.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus so constructed that while steam, air, and dirt may escape, the feathers being treated will be confined in the apparatus and loss due to escaping feathers thus avoided.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of this character which is of sim- 2 ple construction, very easy to operate, and not liable to get out of order when in operation.

The invention is illustrated in the accompany ing drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a front view of the unit in which feathers are steamed and then dried, portions of the cylindrical casing thereof being in section.

Fig. 2 is a similar view of the hopper or'recep tacle to which feathers are delivered from the steaming and drying unit.

Fig. 3 is a view taken along the line 3-3 of view taken Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken transversely through the receptacle or hopper, the view being along the line 8-8 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 9 is a view looking down upon the top of the hopper or receptacle.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line I Ul0 of Fig. 2.

This improved feather sterilizing and cleaning apparatus consists briefly of a steaming and drya ing unit A, shown in Fig. l,- and a companion unit B, shown in Fig. 2, wherein the dried feathers are freed from dust, and other dirt, and from which the feathers are discharged into bags or pillow cases.

The sterilizing unit has a cylindrical casing it which may be of any desired dimensions and has its annular wall formed with upper and low er filling openings normally closed by doors I i." These doors are hinged for swinging movement" be provided and escape of air or steam through the filling openings prevented. The upper por-" tion of the cylinder has the form of a conical dome l4 through which are formed ventilator openings having doors l5 for closing them, the ventilating openings being shielded by screens" l5 so that while dust and other fine dirt may will be ret'ainedin-thecasing. A neck i4" projects upwardly from the dome about an opening at the top thereof and to this neck is applied a conduit pipe l6 which is of suitable length and extends to the unit B where it is secured about an inlet opening formed through the top of the receptacle 32. A damper ll which is pivotally mounted in the pipe l6 controls flow of air and feathers through the pipe and at one end of the pivot pin or shaft of this damper is mounted a handle H by means of which the damper is moved to opened and closed positions.

In order to support the cylinder there has been provided a stand or frame having legs 29 held in parallel relation to each other by bracing bars 36 and provided with feet 3i at their lower ends. Upper ends of the legs carry a ring or collar 43 which is formed of angle metal so that it will have good supporting engagement with the lower end of the cylinder or casin l and the stand and cylinder be prevented from moving transversely out of proper relation to each other. The inwardly extending flange of the ring not only fits under the casing Hi but also engages under an outstanding flange surrounding the upper end of a throat or neck 25 and supports this throat in depending aligned relation to the casing. The ring also supports a screen l9 which prevents feathers from escaping through the lower end of the casing. A substantially U-shaped bracket 23, which is disposed horizontally, has its arms secured to the legs 29 of the stand and to its bridge portion is secured an electric motor 2'! carrying a fan 25 by means of which air is forced upwardly through the casing when the motor is in operation.

A pipe which is bent to circular shape and is perforated rests upon the screen about the periphery thereof and constitutes a nozzle 13 from which steam is discharged upwardly into the casing. A portion 2c of the pipe passes through the wall of the casing and is connected with a source of steam (not shown), it being also understood that a suitable valve is provided for controlling flow of steam through the pipe during operation of the apparatus. Within the neck or throat 25 is a heating coil 2! which is also formed of a bent pipeor tube and has its end portions 22 and 23 passed through the wall of the throat for connection with a source of steam, hot water, or the like, by means of which the coil is heated. This heating coil rests upon bars 24 which extend across the throat diametrically thereof in crossed relation to each other, as shown in Fig. 4, and since the coil is located above the fan 26 air forced upwardly through the throat will be heated by contact with the heating coil before it passes upwardly through the casing.

The .unit B may be located in any desired spaced relation to the unit A and has a receptacle or container 32 formed of sheet metal, or other suitable material, and is supported in upright position by legs 4|. Corners of the container are reinforced by metal strips 33 which may be integral with the legs or formed separate therefrom. The top of the container is secured to walls thereof by a binding strip 35 and formed with an opening with which the conduit pipe communicates. Side walls of the container are formed with large openings shielded by screens 34 and the top 35 is also formed with a-large opening shielded by a screen 35. Since the openings in the side wall and the top of the container are guarded by screens air and dust and other fine dirt and extraneous matter entering the container may flow out wardly through the openings but feathers will be retained in the container. It will thus be seen that dry feathers may have dust and fine dirt separated therefrom and carried away but no feathers will be lost.

Under the lower end of the container 32 is a downwardly tapered hopper 2? which is reinforced by a binding strip 31, and from this hopper extends a downwardly tapered neck or throat 38 about which bags or pillow cases are adapted to be secured. In order to allow the bags or pillow cases to be firmly secured in place about the throat clips 39 are pivotally mounted in vertical position against walls of the throat and normally held in a gripping position by spring 40.

When this apparatus is in use feathers to be cleaned and sterilized are thrust into the cylinder or casing 53 and the door H tightly closed, the damper i? being also closed and also the doors l5 of the ventilator openings at the top of the casing. The valve controlling flow of steam through pipe 26 is then opened whereupon steam flows through the coil or nozzle 18 and is discharged through the openings in the steam coil. This steam flows upwardly through the casing and feathers therein will be quickly saturated and all germs killed. by action of the hot steam. This only requires about twenty or thirty seconds. The valve for the steam coil is then closed and the doors l5 opened and the motor 271 started so that the fan 2'3 will rotate and force air upwardly through the throat 25 and the casing. This air is highly heated by the heating coil 2d and as it flows upwardly through the casing the wet feathers will be swirled about the casing and dried. This drying action only requires two or three minutes and the doors i5 may then be closed and the damper 1'! opened so that the air will flow through the conduit pipe is and carry the feathers with it into the container 32 through the opening in the top thereof.

Dust and fine dirt will doubtless enter the casing 32 with the feathers but will be carried out of the casing through the openings in the side walls and the top of the casing, the screens 34 and 36 serving to retain the feathers in said casing. After the feathers have been entirely freed of dust and other dirt the motor is shut off to stop the flow of air and the feathers will then drift downwardly in the container or housing 32, settling in the hopper 31 from which they pass through the neck 38 into a bag or pillow case secured about the neck 38 by the clips 39. The feathers will thus be thoroughly sterilized by ac tion of live steam and then dried and freed of dust and other fine dirt and delivered into bags or pillow cases without being exposed to dustlader air or germs which might contaminate the feathers. A filled pillow case may be immediately sewed across its open end after being withdrawn from the neck 38 and is then ready for use. If the feathers are discharged into bags, the open ends of the bags may be closed and secured in any desired manner and the bags of feathers then stored until needed.

From the foregoing description of my improved sterilizing and cleaning apparatus for feathers, the construction thereof and the method of applying the same to use will be readily understood and it will be seen that I have provided a comparatively simple, inexpensive and efficient means for carrying out the various objects of the invention.

While I have particularly described the elements best adapted to perform the functions set forth, it is apparent that various changes in form, proportion and in the minor details of construction may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the principles of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for sterilizing and cleaning feathers comprising a cylindrical casing mounted vertically and having an inlet and a closure for the inlet movable to opened and closed positions, a steam pipe entering said casing near the lower end thereof and formed with a coil having outlet openings for discharge of steam upwardly in the casing, there being air outlets near the top of the casing having closures movable to open and closed positions, a heating coil in the lower portion of said casing, a fan in the casing under said heating coil for forcing air heated by the coil upwardly through the casing, a conduit leading from the top of said casing and controlled by a damper movable to opened and closed positions, a receptacle mounted vertically and formed at its top with an inlet with which said conduit communicates for delivering steamed and dried feathers into the receptacle, said receptacle being formed with outlet openings guarded by screens and with a depending neck at its lower end, and means for detachably securing a bag about said neck in position for discharge of sterilized and cleaned feathers through the neck into the bag.

2. An apparatus for sterilizing and cleaning feathers comprising a casing having an air outlet in its upper portion and a closure movable into and out of closing relation to the air outlet, a pipe for discharging steam into the casing at the lower end thereof for sterilizing feathers in the casing, a heating coil under the steam pipe, a fan under the heating coil for forcing heated air upwardly through the casing and drying sterilized feathers, a receptacle having an outlet neck at its bottom adapted to have a fabric bag secured about it, a conduit leading from the top of said casing to the top of said receptacle and discharing dried feathers therein, the receptacle being formed with a screened outlet for escape of air from the receptacle, a damper in said conduit movable to opened and closed positions.

3. An apparatus for sterilizing and cleaning feathers comprising a vertically disposed casing for holding feathers, means for discharging steam into the lower portion of the casing for sterilizing feathers therein, a screen in said casing under the steam discharging means, an air heater under said screens, means for forcing air upwardly through the casing in contact with the air heater for drying steam treated feathers, a conduit leading fom the top of said casing, a damper for controlling flow of air and feathers through the conduit, a receptacle with which said conduit communicates formed with an outlet for dirt spaced upwardly from its lower end, said outlet being screened to prevent passage of feathers through the same, and an outlet at the bottom of said receptacle having means associated therewith for securing a bag about the outlet.

4. An apparatus for sterilizing and cleaning feathers comprising a casing for holding feathers, a screen in said casing, a steam pipe entering said casing and having a perforated inner portion above said screen for discharging steam into the casing and sterilizing feathers, a heater under said screen, means for circulating air upwardly through the casing in contact with the heater, a conduit leading from said casing, means for controlling flow of air and feathers through the conduit, a receptacle formed at its top with an inlet with which the conduit communicates and having an air outlet screened to retain feathers in the receptacle while allowing air to escape, and means for detachably securing a fabric container to the receptacle in position to receive feathers therefrom.

HARRY E. WHEELER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 116,535 Barber et al July 4, 1871 748,894 Trump Jan. 5, 1904 1,724,541 Williams Aug. 13, 1929 1,800,493 Bauer Apr. 14, 1931 1,945,296 Klayman et al Jan. 30, 1934 2,027,590 Hirsch Jan, 14, 1936 2,140,200 Finkel Dec. 13, 1938 

